Director, Student Development

Company Description

About the Organization 

KIPP Public Schools is a national network of tuition-free public charter schools that prepares students with the skills and confidence to create the future they want for themselves, their communities, and us all. We are a network of 279 schools, nearly 16,500 educators, and nearly 210,000 students and alumni.

Our mission: Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world. 

Our vision: Every child grows up free to create the future they want for themselves and their communities. 

The KIPP Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports KIPP public charter schools across the country. The KIPP Foundation helps to develop outstanding educators to lead KIPP schools; provides tools and resources for excellent teaching and learning; promotes innovation; and facilitates the exchange of insights and ideas across KIPP and other public schools and organizations. 

About Our Values: 

Excellent Results for Students: We value results over effort and know that our work is not finished until all students thrive. We maintain high expectations for self, team, and students. We drive outcomes by operating with agility, removing barriers, differentiating support, and prioritizing student-centered solutions—especially for those at the margins. 

Collective Impact: We are one team. We win together. We embody a one-team mindset by working collaboratively across teams, aligning goals, and leveraging the strengths of all teammates. We build trust-based relationships and ensure inclusive decision-making by engaging those closest to the work. We provide clarity through simple, repeatable systems and goals that enable transformational outcomes. 

Courageous Action: Our belief in what we can achieve is unwavering, fueling our optimism and commitment to overcome any challenge. We demonstrate an unwavering belief in students' potential and a commitment to addressing systemic inequities. We approach challenges with resilience, a solutions-focused mindset, and adaptability. We foster a psychologically safe environment centered on trust and accountability where feedback is encouraged. We leverage data to reflect on progress, own setbacks, celebrate successes, and continuously improve to maximize impact. 

Job Description

About The Position 

The Director, Student Development is a newly envisioned role responsible for designing, piloting, and scaling a coherent student development strategy that builds students’ knowledge, skills, and beliefs for college success across the secondary continuum. This role centers on purpose development—helping students understand who they are, why they are pursuing specific postsecondary pathways, and how to persist toward their long-term goals. Reporting to the Chief, College Advancement and Partnerships, the Director will lead the research, design, and implementation of developmentally aligned assessments, interventions, and programming, with an initial focus on the junior year and a clear multi-year vision for expansion into grades 9–12. This role blends research, curriculum design, assessment, and implementation leadership, working closely with regional and school-based partners to ensure student development practices are high-quality, evidence-informed, and feasible at scale. 

Responsibilities 

Student Development Strategy & Assessment 

• Conduct research and synthesize best practices related to student development, purpose, identity, and college readiness. 

• Design a senior-year 360° student development assessment to measure students’ knowledge, skills, and beliefs related to college success. 

• Establish clear mastery benchmarks and assessment processes to evaluate student growth over time. 

• Lead end-of-year analyses to assess student mastery and inform continuous improvement of programming and interventions. 

Program Design, Piloting, and Scaling 

• Design and pilot first-year junior interventions focused on strengthening student purpose through targeted development practices. 

• Execute and refine junior-year interventions, incorporating data, feedback, and implementation learnings. 

• Expand student development interventions across grade levels, including: 

• Planning and implementing purpose-focused programming for seniors, sophomores, and freshmen 

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